


for a rainy day.

by satyrgod



Category: Subarashiki Kono Sekai | The World Ends With You
Genre: Mindless Fluff, Other, Sickfic, its just platonic im sorryyyy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-08
Updated: 2018-11-08
Packaged: 2019-08-20 11:34:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16554989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/satyrgod/pseuds/satyrgod
Summary: If Shibuya was under the weather, it would only make sense for Joshua to be under the weather as well. Concerned, for whatever reason, for his age old partner, Neku ventures to go visit Joshua, whether he wants him to see him or not.





	for a rainy day.

**Author's Note:**

> HI TWEWY AO3. i'm back and i still have yet to finish a twewy fic that doesn't involve joshua. maybe someday but not today or in the near future... i have another one planned for very soon. anyway i've been sick as a dog for the past couple of days so i've impressed my misery upon joshua. i was thinking about how if he was sick he'd probably loosen his composure a little bit... so i wanted to write smth about it. hope you enjoy

Rain beat down on the city. Uncharacteristic for the fall afternoon that it was, water came pouring down with absolutely no reprieve. Scramble crossing was crowded as ever, but the collection of umbrellas made it even more of a rainbow than normal.

Neku Sakuraba, one such boy under one of these umbrellas, wondered what the hell he was doing out on a day like this.

Normally, he would stay cooped up in his room all day. Listening to music, drawing, any of his many solitary activities that made him actually enjoy gloomy days like this.

Of course… It couldn’t be that easy today.

An old friend was sick, you see.

Though friend was certainly a generous term to apply to Joshua, Neku couldn’t help but feel a connection to the other, leading him to do dumb things like _taking him a care package while he’s sick._

Honestly. As if Joshua would ever do anything like this for him.

 _Still_ , he thinks, plastic bag full of medicine and other comfort items Shiki helped him put together in hand, _I’ve got other friends to help me. He doesn’t really have that._

A slightly exasperated sigh leaves him as he walks past the statue of Hachiko, and he continues on in the rain, only stopping to fish out the key Joshua had given him to the river.

River was, again, a very generous word to use. It was annoying to have to go into the sewer every time he wanted to see Joshua, let alone a sewer that brought back as many unpleasant memories as it did. Still, he continued on, humming a jaunty tune to himself as he did. He almost regrets not bringing his headphones with him, just for the distraction, but ultimately feels with them around his ears the deja vu may have indeed been too much to handle.

He made it through the halls with no incident, and gently feels for the wall that’s usually around the room Joshua stays in.

It’s there, but it definitely feels weaker than usual. The quick rap he does on it to get Joshua’s attention dissolves it entirely, and after a blink of surprise, Neku turns the doorknob no one else can see, and enters the room.

“Who is it?” speaks a miserable voice, coming from a pile of blankets so high you can’t even see the person speaking.

“Who else?” Neku replies, kicking off his shoes. “Heard you were sick from Mr. H. Thought I’d pop by.” He lifts the plastic bag, shaking it a little. “Brought some stuff to help too.”

“Neku?” Comes the, actually quite delayed, response, and Joshua slowly comes into view, rising over his blankets. “That’s…” Fingers rise to his temple, other hand coming to support his head on his chin. “A very kind sentiment. But medicine doesn’t exactly help, in my case.” His words are a lot less deliberate right now, sounding rather slurred and delirious. Honestly, thinking on how cool and composed Joshua usually is, it’s pretty hilarious.

“It’s not just medicine.” Neku says, moving to sit on the corner of the bed. Even though it’s almost entirely medicine. “I brought some other stuff too. Drink up.” A can of tea is thrown Joshua’s way, still somewhat warm from the vending machine. It lands in his lap, none too gently, and Joshua lifts it up, both hands warming themselves on it after he pulls the tab.

“Thank you.” is the soft reply, followed by a slow sip. “I do wonder why you would come for me in all this rain, though. Don’t tell me you’re falling for me, Neku.”

“As if.” He scoffs, leaning back on a hand. “Just figured you could use the company, is all. Figured you wouldn’t be contagious or anything… All things considered.”

There’s no response for a second, violet eyes staring into nothing as he drinks his tea.

“All this way just to keep me company… You’re something else.” It’s said so quietly it’s almost barely audible, Neku having to lean in to hear. “But I’m not contagious. Unless, of course, you’re here to take me out. This _would_ be a perfect opportunity, you know…”

“Can you knock that shit off? I don’t know how many times I have to tell you I’m not interested.” It’s hardly as biting as it should be. Honestly, he’s never sure how much of this song and dance Joshua is actually serious about, but _he_ stopped taking it seriously a long time ago. “Anyway, have you seriously just been laying here all day?”

“I’m _sick_ , Neku.” He groans, flopping back down on the bed and tossing a hand on his forehead dramatically. “I can’t do anything like this! Rainstorms always sap away all my energy.”

“Well yeah, but,” Neku says, reaching for the TV remote by Joshua’s side. “You aren’t even watching anything. I dunno how you can stand staring at the wall for hours.”

“It gives me time to think.” Josh sniffs, sitting up again, smoothing the blanket over his knees. “Rarely do I get the chance just to…” His hand clenches in the air next to his head as he searches for words. “Be.”

“... Uh huh. What kind of things do you even think about?”

“That’s a secret.” He says it playfully, and Neku rolls his eyes, moving up to lay next to Joshua on the bed. Honestly, for as tiny as he is, this bed is huge.

“Whatever. Sorry I’m intruding on your alone time, but I figured someone was better than no one. You’re not gonna kick me out, are you?”

“It’s not always good to be left to my thoughts.” Joshua says, languidly resting his head on Neku’s shoulder. “Truthfully, I should be thanking you for coming.”

Whatever that means, Neku isn’t entirely sure how to tackle it. Pressing it will surely bring about a rage-inducing answer, and even if he gets the truth, this feels so weirdly intimate he’s not entirely sure what to—

“I want to watch Tin Pin.” Josh says, smoother than his voice has been all day, and Neku’s not sure whether to be grateful or angry for the subject change.

“I’m not watching that.”

“Yu-gi-oh.”

“No.”

“Bakugan.”

“Hell no.”

“Yu-gi-oh GX.”

“That’s the same— Do you know anything that’s not a kid’s show?!”

Joshua huffs, hugging his knees.

“You’re so picky, Neku. Aren’t you a boy too? You’re telling me watching a hot-blooded protagonist go through trials and tribulations to go for his dreams does nothing for you?”

 _Maybe when I was 12._ He almost says, but bites his tongue. He came here to be nice, after all, even if Josh makes it impossible.

“Fine, fine. I’ll watch one of your kiddie animes, but I’m drawing the line at Tinpin, ok? Anything else is fair game.” _I guess!_

“You’re so difficult…” He’s pouting. He’s really pouting, as if _he’s_ not the one being difficult. Some things just never change. “No one hates Pokemon.” He says, gaze sliding over to Neku. “Right?”

“Sure.” He says, tiredly going to turn it on. It’s not like Josh is wrong… Though he certainly hasn’t looked at the animated series in years. “First series ok?”

“First series is perfect.” Josh is getting more comfortable now, leaning on Neku entirely, and Neku lets him. It’s weird, it’s definitely weird to have Josh being this touchy, but he can’t say he’s put off by it. He shifts a little, getting more comfortable himself, before allowing the cartoons Josh just _had_ to watch melt his brain.

For a few hours, they do this. Meaningless smalltalk between the two, until a silence stretches on for long enough that Neku is certain Joshua had fallen asleep. He reaches for the remote, to turn the TV off, and picks up his phone.

“You know…” rings out a soft voice, and Neku nearly drops the phone he was holding. _He’s still awake?!_ “I don’t think anyone’s ever done this for me, Neku. I’ve never exactly had… Well. Someone who cared.” The only sound in the room is Neku’s heart beating. Has it always been this loud? He prays Joshua can’t hear. “I guess I just wanted to thank you. Despite all we’ve been through… All that I’ve put you through, really. You’ve still stayed by my side.” A beat of silence passes, but Josh fills it before Neku can. “I guess what I’m saying is… I’m glad to have you as a friend. As much as I question how you’re still here… I’m glad you are.”

Neku is stunned silent, and he’s sure with how tense he’s gotten he must not be a very comfortable pillow at this point.

“Do you really mean that?” Neku’s voice comes out hoarse, and he realizes that’s probably not the best thing for Joshua to hear after pouring his heart out for what very well may be the first time in his life, for all Neku knows. “I mean… Of course I came back for you. We’re partners, even if you…” Manipulated me, lied to me, _killed me_ … “Can be a pain in the ass sometimes. I still care about you. This is just what friends are for.”

Silence resounds. For an embarrassing amount of time, in fact.

“... Joshua?” Neku says, eyes sliding over to him, only to find out he was asleep. Or, at least pretending to be. Very convincingly. God, he was frustrating as always!

An exasperated sigh leaves Neku, and he moves slowly, carefully, away from Joshua so he can get up.

“I don’t know how I put up with you.” He mutters, hastily pulling the blankets over Josh’s frame. “Sleep tight.” He adds flippantly, and leaves, closing the door behind him.

There was no sign of rouse in the other, but Neku still can’t help but be embarrassed by _whatever the hell_ just went on in there. No doubt Joshua would just pretend it never happened… If he even remembered it at all. Maybe that’s for the best.

With a sigh, he pops open his umbrella, trying to focus on how to thank Shiki for helping him, rather than any of the other things plaguing his mind.

Back in Joshua’s room, one eye cracks open, fixated on the door Neku had just left from. A soft, lazy smile crosses his face, as he allows sleep to overcome him for real this time.

Maybe Sanae was right about connections being important. They certainly made you feel good, in any case.

**Author's Note:**

> *SALUTES* I HOPE YOU ENJOYED MY SICK DELIRIOUS MESS


End file.
